Auctions—Getting the Point

Fountain pens are drawing numbers of collectors

Judd Tully
From the Print Edition:
The Sopranos, Mar/Apr 01

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Another desirable pen sought by collectors is the Waterman "Patrician" model, manufactured from 1928 to 1932 and considered by many to be the ultimate Art Deco pen, given its bold colors (turquoise is the most desirable) and the geometric shape of the clip. "It's rare enough for people to say, ÔYeah, I'd love to get one of thoseÑif I could find it,'" says Crum Ewing. A Patrician in excellent condition would bring about $1,300; if it was mint in the box (the best possible condition and literally never used), it would be well over $2,000.

Pen fanciers can turn to a rich supply of state-of-the-art Web sites, such as www.vintagepens.com, where David Nishimura, the resident cyber guru, offers crystal-clear advice on his easily navigable site for both emerging and more seasoned collectors. "In general, you are best advised to buy a few good pens rather than a lot of cheaper specimens," Nishimura says. "This is an old truism about collecting anything, for what is common will always be common. Look for quality construction, fine design, historical significance and technical interest. Learn to distinguish the unusual and extraordinary from the run-of-the-mill. Don't cut corners on condition, eitherÑaside from real rarities, stick to specimens without significant defects or excessive wear."

Nishimura points out that a number of significant penmakers have "failed to attract brand-specific collectors," and opportunities in those lesser-known arenas are ripe. He cites Wirt, Aikin Lambert and John Holland as a trio of attractive sleepers. The cyber penman says vintage pen buyers should always inspect prospective acquisitions with a magnifier and a light to spot unadvertised damage and defects that can significantly sap value.

Other helpful pen sources include magazines like The PENnant and The Journal of Pen Collectors of America, and books such as Fountain Pens and Pencils: The Golden Age of Writing Instruments, by Stuart Schneider and George Fischler.

Bonhams & Brooks's catalogue of its May 5 auction is scheduled to be available online in April at www.bonhams.com. A wide range of fountain pens and pencils, dating from the Edwardian Age to the so-called Golden Age of fountain pens of the 1920s and '30s, as well as postwar examples, will be offered, with estimates starting below $200.

Classic Parkers dating from the 1920s and '30s, such as the Vacumatic, carry estimates of $200-$500. Montblancs from the same period, as well as jazzier celluloid versions from the '50s and '60s, are estimated at $500-$1,000. Earlier and more obscure models of gold filigree- overlaid pens from 1900 to 1920 carry estimates of $500 to $1,000.

No matter what the brand or price range, Crum Ewing says collectors should pay close attention to a pen's condition. "When the market rises, pens in the best condition tend to rise quickest, and when the market falls, ones in dreadful condition sink like a stone." An example of the former was a Parker No. 60 "Aztec" model, circa 1911, that made $88,320 (est. $40,000-$48,000) at Bonhams in January 2000. Commenting on recent hefty pen prices, Crum Ewing says, "It's not a completely new price structure for pens or for collectibles in general. It's just that some of the rarest pieces have been offered for sale at auction."

Crum Ewing points out that writing with fountain pens can be somewhat challenging to younger folks brought up in a ballpoint pen culture. For those accustomed to holding a pen firmly and pressing down on the paper to make the ink flow, writing with a fountain pen can be daunting. Vintage fountain pens take an even lighter touch than contemporary fountain pens, since the ink flows out by capillary action and too much pressure on the nib can bend, splay or even break the point.

Interestingly, the physics of the writing itself has a bearing on the collectible. As Crum Ewing says, "Many pen collectors are people who like an old pen because it suits their way of writing or it suits their way of business. It might not be used all day, every day, but when it's needed, it's an important thing to have, whether it's signing an important deal or writing a note to your girlfriend."

Judd Tully covers the New York art and auction scene for a variety of publications, including the London Antiques Trade Gazette.

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